KUDUS, INDONESIA Aug 23, 2026 — Malaysia’s 14-year-old forward Lim You was crowned top scorer of the Srikandi Merdeka Cup 2026 after finishing with eight goals, helping the Malayan Tigress secure third place with a 4-0 victory over Jordan on Sunday.
Lim, a Malaysian-American who lives in the United States, scored her eighth goal of the tournament in the 39th minute of the third-place playoff at Supersoccer Arena. She had earlier made headlines by netting seven goals in Malaysia’s 9-0 group-stage thrashing of Saudi Arabia.
Jordan defender Eman Muhannad turned the ball into her own net in the opening minutes to give Malaysia an early lead. Lim then doubled the advantage before the break. Captain Keisha Adeliena converted a penalty in the 50th minute, and Isabella Saffiya O’Luanaigh sealed the result deep in stoppage time.
The result capped an encouraging campaign for coach Fairuz Montana Zainal Abidin’s side. Malaysia finished runners-up in Group A after a 0-0 draw with Hong Kong, a 3-0 loss to hosts Garuda Pertiwi, and the heavy win over Saudi Arabia. They exited in the semi-finals with a 1-5 defeat to eventual champions Thailand.
Thailand claimed the title with a 1-0 win over Garuda Pertiwi in the final, courtesy of a long-range free-kick from captain Kawinthida Kikuntod, who was named player of the tournament. Lim finished clear at the top of the scoring charts ahead of Kawinthida (5 goals) and Garuda Pertiwi’s Jazlyn Kayla (4).
“I am very grateful to be the top scorer, but I could not have achieved it without my teammates. They kept motivating and supporting me, and helped me a lot,” Lim said after the match.
Born in Taiwan and raised in the US with her Malaysian parents, the left-footed teenager has drawn comparisons to Mohamed Salah for her powerful finishing. Her father trained her left foot from a young age, describing it as a “weapon.” The performance marks a standout international debut for the young talent tracked by accounts following Malaysian players based overseas.
The inaugural Srikandi Merdeka Cup featured U-16 teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia (two sides), Singapore, Hong Kong, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, providing valuable competitive experience ahead of future regional qualifiers.
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